Agape
noun /ˈæɡəpeɪ/ — Unconditional love — given freely, without expectation of return.
Definition
The highest form of love in classical Greek philosophy — unconditional, selfless, universal love that gives without expectation of return. Not romantic, not familial, but something closer to grace.
Beyond the definition
Agape is what you feel when you love someone without needing them to be a certain way. It's the love that doesn't negotiate. Not passion, not attachment, not need — something cleaner and more difficult than all of those.
Origin & history
From Ancient Greek ἀγάπη (agape) — love, affection. Used extensively in early Christian writings to describe divine love and the ideal of loving one's neighbour. Distinct from eros (romantic love) and philia (friendship).
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
What she felt for her child was agape — unconditional, undiscriminating, vast.
Agape is the love that doesn't require the other person to deserve it.
He didn't understand agape until he stopped keeping score.
Synonyms
unconditional love, selfless love, grace, charity, compassion
Antonyms
conditional love, transactional affection, attachment
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Universal, Selfless Interconnectedness
Sunlight filters through a dense woodland canopy onto a forest floor teeming with diverse, interconnected life, from insects to plants.
The thriving, interconnected nature of the forest floor illustrates the essence of unconditional, universal love. Like agape, this abundance gives to the whole system without expectation of return, existing as a natural state of grace and flourishing.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration